҉҉ The Creator's Child and The Destroyer's Offspring ҉҉.

Life's Not That Bad

It spread around the school like wildfire, that Ruka and Mikan were siblings of the Sakura royalty. It had to come out sooner than later, sooner better than later...

Mikan however had a rather hard time, Ruka was used to it, he was always being stared at because of his looks, but Mikan had spent most of her life in the castle, being the heir and all...

Ruka was not the heir as he did not have the required alice, he had no hard feelings toward his sister despite that; it had always been Ruka's dream to be a vet.

He had another role. Near the border lands shared by the Hyuuga and Sakura kingdoms, there was a particularly odd mountainous formation, one which no human could enter, only animals. It also was inclined to hurt things around it; in the old days, it would suck energy from human settlements there, now there were no settlements, according to Ruka's discoveries so far, the energy has to be taken, so it must be taken from the animals. When they were old and tired of life, they would enter they place and offer themselves to whatever was there. This had been all he could gather from his little 'chats' with the animals.

He was also sent there to deal with problems like stray soldiers wandering into the area, the place had a hypnotic aura around it. Anyone who wondered in would immediately wonder into the 'catacombs', as the formation had been named.

There were cases of the land shaking, or most commonly neighboring landholders sending hunting parties into the woods, and getting upset when they do not come back, despite being warned. All in all he had a huge load on his plate. His parents had an unlimited amount of trust in him, they had entrusted him with the job, and he had been doing more than needed. Higher officials refuse to fully acknowledge him for fear that their own positions would go, rightly so, just a few months ago, an official had been demoted, and Ruka had taken over his responsibilities; it was the same for Natsume too.

The most recent escapade of the Koizumi family had left him 'Truly, Madly, Deeply' pissed off. At least the 'Truly, Madly, Deeply' the song that was playing was more or less happy. He got bored listening to it, and forwarded to the next song: 'I Knew I Loved You' also by Savage Garden (at least I think so, do try listening to them, they're quite nice, according to the comp it's pop. I'm not sure though, just try listening to them...)

Just then the very same bitch came up to the table Ruka and Natsume were sharing. The saying should change to 'Think of the devil.' "What do you want Loony?"

"Ooohhh! Natsume made up a nickname for me!" Ruka rolled his eyes at her stupidity, mentally trying to extract revenge, it wasn't quite enough though. Meanwhile Natsume was resisting the urge to punch her face to zilch, she didn't deserve a pretty face, it was fake anyway; and while he was at it, he might as well rip of her breasts, she always made them hang out so much, he might as well pull them out completely.

Luna of course was oblivious. "Ruka~" she trilled making her ceiling high pitched voice reach the sun. Ruka tried to ignore her, just as both he and Natsume were trying to ignore the pain in their eardrums.

"I heard that there was another stray hunting group incident! Daddy's been telling everyone not to! I'll tell him to show them what disobeying means. Don't worry Ruka." Luna said layering her voice with so much sugar, she wanted to make the boys vomit. "Well actually, it was 'daddy' who sent the group. They had all the flags and emblems."

"Not possible, they must have been copied or something!"

"Your father's the one who boasts that his emblems and flags cannot be copied, not me." Retorted Ruka as he and Natsume walked out of the cafeteria leaving behind a fuming Luna.

"Natsume, you have physics next. Your timetable has changed remember. It's the same as Mikan's."

"What've you got now then?" asked Natsume groaning at the inconvenience.

"Free." Stated Ruka his grin only growing, thinking of the torture his friend would have to go through.

҉҉The Creator's Child and The Devil's Offspring ҉҉

As soon as he entered the class he was buried in a flood of girls, it seemed all the girls from the school had gathered. And the worst thing was, that Miss Serina, anticipating this, had given a free period, after all she was spoilt for time, she had the history lectures as well.

He was about to ignite a fire barrier, when he heard loud gun shots, and girls collapsing in heaps. Sweat beaded every person's face, as all the girls for other classes scrambled to the door, almost breaking it in their rush to escape the new and improved 'Baka-gun'. Sighing with relief, Natsume walked to his seat, to find a curious Mikan.

"Natsume what's going on? The girls don't usually go after you like that!"

"Coming of Spring festival."

"Huh?" she asked huge question marks decorating her eyes.

"It's when we break the winter frost, if we didn't use our alices to do it, then the snow would never thaw naturally because of the alices in the land."

"Wow but wouldn't you burn everything down?"

"No we cover the whole country with white fire, even the people. It's a fire which cannot burn, it only gives warmth."

"Wow it must be really beautiful!"

"Hnn"

"But Natsume why were all those girls running after you?"

"The Spring Love Legend."

"Oh..." she said not questioning further. "Natsume how does it feel, the fire I mean?"

"It's a fire that can only be created through love. It feels magical." Natsume said, for the first time in ages, Mikan hear a hint of emotion in his voice.

"Hum... That must be why they introduced the spring holiday right!"

"Wow, you guessed. I didn't think you had it in you." Said Natsume smirking.

"NATSUME! Any way I really wish I could see it." Mikan said in a dreamy tone.

"Who said you can't?"

"Huh?"

"You can just ask your mother if you can come. There won't be any danger; you'll be with me the whole time."

"Really! That's great!"

"Idiot, a three year old could have told you that."

҉҉The Creator's Child and The Devil's Offspring ҉҉.

It was morning, and students were filing into the class in groups. Just then a shout was heard.

"MIKAN-NEE!" it seemed to have come from a young child, judging from the high pitch of the voice; just then another young female voice was heard, equally high:

"Yo-chan you can't just go around shouting for her!" she said.

Mikan franticly looked around for the source of the voice, to no avail. Finally, feeling a tug on her skirt she looked down, to find a young boy, who came up to her waist. Just then another girl came into the room

"Youichi!"

"Aoi!" Exclaimed both Natsume and Mikan together, shocked to see their younger siblings in the class.

"How cute!" exclaimed Sumire.

"No wonder, look at who's the elder one!" only then did they realize what a crowd they had attracted.

"What are you two doing here?" asked Mikan

"We're being enrolled into the school after the spring break!"

"What!"

"Mommy said daddy had wanted it..." immediately the mood fell.

Breaking the trance Youichi pulled one of Aoi's pigtails.

"Oi! What was that for huh!"

"Aunty Kaoru gave you a message for Natsume-nii" he said in a impassive voice.

"You didn't have to pull my hair just for that. I was about to tell him before you interfered!"

"No you forgot." He replied

"Did not!"

"Did too." He replied in the same deadpan voice. Mikan and the on looking class sweat dropped, surprisingly, Youichi was exactly like Natsume.

"What message?" asked Natsume interrupting them.

"That you and Mikan-nee are supposed to look after us, and that both Mikan and Youichi would be coming to our place for the spring coming festival, cause the castle's security still needed to be checked, they still haven't found how the a-assassin got in, she said that aunt Yuka would be going somewhere secret with Ruka-nii." She finished solemnly.

"Anyway" said Youichi changing the mood. "Where is Ruka-nii?"

"Right here. I just saw mother."

"Ruka-nii" exclaimed Youichi running to him and giving him a flying hug; making the girls and guys in the class go into a dead faint because of his cuteness.

"Youichi" said Ruka laughing. "How've you been?"

"Good." He said letting his elder brother go.

"Right I just came to say that Shiki's already dropped off all the stuff you need for the spring break in your room. I'll be leaving with him and mother now. We're going to your place."

"Oh." replied Mikan

"Please try and look after her, I know how tough it is, her being the klutz she is."

"Ruka! You traitor; my own brother too! "Exclaimed Mikan in indignation. Natsume replied with a smirk.

"At least someone understands."

҉҉The Creator's Child and The Devil's Offspring ҉҉.

The Last day of school came, the much awaited results also came up. Hotaru stood first, Natsume second, Ruka third; surprisingly Mikan and Sumire fifth. Luna of course got last place, but she bribed the school into not putting her score on the board, which only started worse rumors about her. The best thing about the school was that you couldn't just leave after you get awful marks, or after you do something bad. You have to stay and suffer the consequences.

Luna of course, was becoming less and less popular, and the frustration was driving her crazy, having an alice, which could make her the most popular person in the universe, but being unable to use it. It was so amusing to watch her suffer so, they decided to leave out the revenge plan.

Soon it was time to leave. Mikan and group set off for the Hyuuga kingdom as soon as the results had been announced.

҉҉The Creator's Child and The Devil's Offspring ҉҉.

"Hey Mikan?"

"Mmm"

"Do you know the legend of the thaw festival?"

"The thaw festival?"

"It's another name for it"

"Oh! No I don't." Replied a sleepy Mikan to an equally bored Aoi. They both wanted to sleep, but that was impossible. But trust people like Natsume and Youichi, (who were definitely from different families, but were so similar, it was uncanny) be able to do the impossible.

"There are two. The first is that a wish for the future, made when the fire is touching you, will surely come true. That's one, the second on is our spring love legend; For any boy and girl holding hands when the thawing fire touches them, will have the seed of love planted in them, and this seed, can be killed, but it must be done by the end of the first day of spring, or love will surely bloom betwixt them." Finished Aoi solemnly.

"Wow you're a great story teller Aoi. And you have a great spring love story. Ours is so boring compared to yours. On the morning of the first day of spring if you wash your face with dew, just as the sun is rising, you will see the face of your husband." (It is a true legend in England, but on a different day, I can't remember...)

They fell back into silence, that was broken only by the rhythmic sound of Natsume and Youichi's soft breathing. (I am NOT saying he's snoring, I'm just pointing out that he's sleeping!)

҉҉The Creator's Child and The Devil's Offspring ҉҉.

It was a long journey, and Mikan was dead tired, she was not used to travelling by horse, and from Alice Academy, it was the only way to get to the Hyuuga kingdom; It was too dangerous to travel by plane in the Hyuuga kingdom, as Mikan was used to, because of the elemental alices, and the terrain was to uneven for a railway track, so horses it was...

By the time they reached the borders Mikan was sleeping like a rock. Natsume on the other hand was well rested as he had been asleep throughout the trip, call it another of the many crazy talents.

Other than being sleepy Aoi was relatively fine, she was used to the trip. But it had been especially hard for Mikan, who was out for the count. In the end Natsume had to carry her to the car. Aoi sat in the front, with Youichi, while Mikan slept on Natsume's lap, in the back seats.

By the time they had reached the palace, Mikan was wide awake, taking in the scenery that surrounded her. The landscape was dominated completely by snow, it was a breath taking sight, like something out of a painting, currently, there was even light snow fall, adding to the impression, and as they say, 'First impressions always last.' Mikan's first impression of Natsume's homeland, and his kingdom to be, would forever be embedded into her mind, as the most beautiful place she had ever seen. It was so like Natsume too, harsh and cold on the outside, but warm and gentle on the inside, Mikan had read somewhere that if it weren't for the snow, the young plant shoots would have been destroyed by the storms and wind.

"Like my humble kingdom?" asked Natsume teasingly "if you want it you're going to have to marry me."

"You know what for this place; I ACCTUALLY wouldn't mind much." She said it in such a serious tone, you had to believe her. Natsume was so surprised he tripped on the stairs and only just prevented himself from falling flat on his face, possible only with a little help from his special training.

It really came to good use, but you would NEVER catch him saying that in front of Persona, his cruel trainer.

"You're joking right" he asked just to confirm.

"You are, but I'm not, not really" said Mikan sighing. Natsume couldn't categorize the answer he got, in the situation, it was negative, but in the long run, it was DEFINATELY positive.

He ended up entering the palace, with his face covered by his hood, because it was decorated with a goofy grin and a bright pink blush, that he could NOT afford to show ANYONE; however his family members knew straight away, and didn't spare him the teasing. Mikan of course was oblivious, she had a brilliant mind, but when it came to people, especially boys, she was absolutely clueless, not to mention naive.

So like her...

҉҉The Creator's Child and The Devil's Offspring ҉҉.

"MIKAN! Get up you STONE HEAD!"

"Huh? Whaa!" Mikan cried as she woke up to see little Aoi on her bed, sitting on her legs. "Hey go away! I barely have any cloths on!" she said, hurriedly pulling the covers around her.

"Seriously in a place this cold, you say you went to sleep with barely anything on?"

"I thought you had a good few layers on under that thin quilt."

"What, Natsume too! And Youichi! Get out now! I mean it's not my fault I don't feel the cold at all!"

"Oh well... should have expected that from you."

"Hey what was that supposed to mean?"

"Oh nothing Polka, hurry up and get ready. We're going out to buy clothes."

"Huh?" she asked with a confused face.

"For the festival idiot!"

"Oh."

"You really are stupid nee-san."

"Humph. Get out so I can change."

҉҉The Creator's Child and The Devil's Offspring ҉҉.

"Wow! This place is great!" exclaimed Mikan for the third time, completely overwhelmed by the vastness, of a completely normal market. After all, this was her first time in one... and it was Mikan...

Finally, they managed to reach the kimono store; they would have reached hours earlier, if Mikan hadn't been forcing them to stop at every damn shop or store! When they did reach, the girls of course took ages to chose their kimonos... the poor boys, weren't even allowed to escape, it was amazing, they seemed so focused on choosing, but every time the boys made an escape attempt, the girls would always catch them! It was freaky!

Finally the girls came out in their chosen kimonos to show the boys. Aoi, was in a stunning black kimono, with fire patterns decorating the bottom of the dress, on plain glittery black which was the background, as was the top half of her kimono, her belt was of a pale bright, but not florescent, pink.

Mikan was in a pale peachy pink kimono, decorated with sakura blossom petals. It started out as a dense cluster at her right shoulder, spreading out as if they were in the wind at her torso, winding around her thighs, into something less dense, but a much wider cluster at her feet. She also had a thin belt, of deep yellow, with thin intricate vine-like designs on it. Which looked almost like fire.

Both boys were awe struck, of course...

҉҉The Creator's Child and The Devil's Offspring ҉҉.

Mikan woke panting, covered in sweat. For the first time in a long time, she had had a nightmare.

It had been extremely vivid.

The first time her Alice had gone out of control. Or to be more accurate, when her true alice had awoken; but she didn't know that. When her second Alice had awoken, it had been rather harmless. She had stolen part of her personal assistant's Misaki's alice by mistake; but there had been no harm done, as she had immediately put it back again, with her third alice, which had awoken with her second alice.

It had been a rainy day, which perfectly fit the mood of the castle. Mikan's grandfather had just passed away, and Mikan was in denial. She refused to belief it. Her grandfather had been like a second father to Mikan. Though her father made sure to balance family and work, both her parents did, they were still away a lot. It was her grandfather who would stay with and play with little Mikan.

Her mother, who was also mourning, and was stressed with her ever growing work load; had finally snapped, in her anger, she had shouted at Mikan screaming that other people were upset too, and that the dead were dead you just had to accept that. Mikan had lost control then, and being an honest child, she didn't wish for extermination of the world etcetera… she wished not for the return of her grandfather, as her mother's words had struck deep in her soul. She wished that the whole world would come down on her, and so it did.

There were injuries reported among the staff, and her parents had been out in the garden, the one who received most of the injuries was Ruka, he had gone back inside to save her, and he still sported an ugly scar across his back as a cruel memento of that day.

Mikan got up and went to get dressed, in her famous Zombie Mode. Where she would do everything perfectly well, but her mind would be miles away, the cruelty of the world hit her all over again, opening old and creating new wounds in her innocent and naive heart. She made her bed, and completed her regular morning routine. She got dressed and walked out her door, closing it and taking the key.

As she reached the place, she saw Natsume. His lips were moving, telling her something, but she couldn't hear. He was smiling.

He took her hand, and dragged her empty body to the main ring, where everyone was waiting for her, smiling. Aoi, her parents, and all of a sudden she had joined the circle, a warm fire, white and glowing, started at the centre of the circle.

It all happen so fast, in less than a blink, the fire had spread completely covering the centre ring. And it travelled like wildfire on a gusty day. And then it was all gone. In those tinny seconds, she realized that life was not as awful or as cruel as she had thought it to be. She had her friends and family, people who would all ways be there for her, and that she thought was more than enough.

After the fire disappeared, in her hand she found a tinny stone. An alice stone she guessed. Deep red, with an unmistakable white light, shining in the centre, though it was dimmed by the red around it, gorgeous; stunning; striking; attractive; picturesque; scenic; magnificent; glorious; exquisite... none those words would; nor could describe the stone. She turned to Natsume, noticing him glancing at her, but he looked away immediately, and excused himself.

When he glanced back at Mikan, he saw her hold the stone to her heart, and whisper to it, though he was far away, somehow, he could still hear her, as if she was speaking to his very heart, "Thank You Natsume." A light blush crept up his face, and he broke into a run.

He had no Idea what made him do it, an alice stone, was a tiny part of your soul, tiny, but still a part of it. in the wrong hands, it could manipulate a person in any and every way, if it was large enough. And this had been no ordinary alice stone. It had been made during the advent of the White Fire. Not only that, it had been made by the caster of the white fire, while he was summoning the power of his ancestors, and had taken form, when the white fire purged the land of sin, darkness evil and cold.

This item may as well be one of the strongest things of power in existence. Part of the very fabric of his power, and all the powers similar to his; part of the fabric of the 'Destroyer Origin Powers' DOP…

And Natsume new less than half of this.

His mind thoroughly confused, by the actions of his heart.

҉҉The Creator's Child and The Devil's Offspring ҉҉.

End of Chapter 5